gfeat and vital principle relative to the purity of Christianity, and a safeguard against its corruption. Every church draws its life directly from Christ, and not from any secondary, humanly-tainted source. The unity of all Christians and all churches is in spirit and not in letter ; in heart and not ceremony; in life and not form; in holy, expanding, progressive aims and labors, not in an ecclesiastical frame-work, a church- ianity, a patented machine. As families necessarily diifer in respect to their dwellings, their customs, their methods of labor, while yet they make one prosperous, progressive people and nation, so Christian churches, inevitably differing in native peculiarities, education, provincial customs, national speech, varied culture, and the pressure of their times, yet are one in spirit and aim, and make up the grand, growing, progressive Christian republic. Contemplating the world’s growth and freedom, Christ never intended to press his followers into any given ecclesiastical mold, or dress them up in any straight jacket of churchianity, Papal, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Puritan, or Quaker. He never meant to sanction popes, provincial bishops, district elders, and ecumenical councils. He set his followers in independent, qualified, responsible bands, remaining himself their only ruler, priest and life. This great principle, essential to the life, freedom and growth of Christianity, and the liberties of mankind, has always been held by the Baptists, and, until of late, held by the Baptists alone. 4. Fourth Pillar. Mark it. The spiritual and voluntary constituency of every church. A church made up only of regenerate persons, acting freely for themselves. John preached repentence. Christ said, “ Ye must be born again.” “ He that believeth and is baptized shall
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